Cause and Effect | The Hague bans fossil fuel ads

In a landmark move, The Hague on September 13 banned street advertising of fossil fuel products and high-carbon services like cruise ships and air travel, becoming the first city in the world to pass such a legislation. The legislation came months after UN general-secretary Antonio Guterres called out the oil and gas industry for “shamelessly greenwashing” while actively trying to delay climate action, aided and abetted by advertising and public relations companies. “The city council of The Hague adopted two proposals to ban fossil advertising in outdoor spaces,” council spokesman Jordy Kruse told the AFP news agency last month. Guterres’ speech suggests that private interventions and government policies alike could tackle greenwashing in fossil fuel “Many in the fossil fuel industry have shamelessly greenwashed, even as they have sought to delay climate action with lobbying, legal threats, and massive ad campaigns,” Guterres said. Advertising for high-emission products tends to increase their sales by awakening supposed needs in consumers… it also normalises the consumption of environmentally harmful products — although we all urgently need to reduce our lifestyle carbon footprint in order to keep global warming within tolerable limits.” Kruger added: “The ‘City of Peace and Justice’ sends a strong signal for sustainability and intergenerational justice — local and media politicians around the world should take a look and reflect on their options for limiting fossil advertising in cities, on television, on platforms and in other media in favour of our children and grandchildren.” Tannu Jain, HT's chief content producer, picks a piece of climate news from around the globe and analyses its impact using connected reports, research and expert speak